"Buongiorno, Piccola," Carina greeted Maddie as the teenager padded out into the kitchen. "You're up earlier than usual," She pointed out noting the time, usually given the chance, Maddie wouldn't be awake until at least after 10 am most mornings.
"I couldn't sleep much," Maddie explained as she slumped over to the couch and sat down. "When will Mom be home?" She asked.
"Not until later tonight," Carina told her as she drank the espresso that she made. "Until then it's just me and you," She said.
"Actually, I was wondering if it would be okay if Sarah came around as well? Mom said she could sleepover last week but things happened, and yeah so maybe, I was hoping if she could stay over tonight instead?" Maddie asked.
"Sure I will check with your Mom but I'm sure that's fine," Carina agreed. "How is she doing? It must be tough for her,"
"Still upset, her Grandpa was the person who practically raised her and now she's lost him. It doesn't help that her Mom's just stayed at the office instead of being there for her daughter," Maddie explained as Carina frowned and shook her head.
"You just need to continue to be there for her. Support her with whatever she needs," Carina softly said. "I'm going to make some breakfast. Would you like anything specific?" She asked.
"Uh, no, I'm not really hungry but thanks Mama," Maddie said before she moved to sit on the couch.
Grabbing the remote off the coffee table, she turned the TV on as the news appeared, the only thing that played was TV news reporters replaying the tragic events last week as it then showed people aligning the streets, taking part in protests.
"The world is so messed up," Maddie mumbled as she shook her head, continuing to watch TV.
"So is Maddie coming to the station today? I haven't seen her in almost a week," Andy said as they drove back to the station after the call they had which left them tackling a fire majority of the night.
"Not today. Carina's off for the day so we thought it would be best for her to stay home. At least this way she will be able to spend some quality time with her before she goes to Italy in a couple of weeks," Maya said. "So my daughter's day will most likely be spent sitting on the couch watching movies and eating candy," She said.
"That's a healthy choice of snack," Andy commented while she couldn't help but laugh.
"I know, usually I wouldn't be too fond about it but right now I just want my daughter to be happy," Maya said as they continued their way back to the station. "Given everything that is going on right now, I can't do much to help here but at least at home, I can make sure that my daughter's happy, and healthy and loved," She rambled.
"I can understand that," Andy acknowledged what she meant as she turned to look at her best friend. "How's Maddie taking it about Carina leaving for Italy now?" She asked.
"I think she is okay, I mean if she isn't taking it well then I wouldn't know because she hasn't talked to me," Maya admitted.
"Oh, okay," Andy mumbled while nodding. "I don't know what to say to anyone. I don't want to say the wrong thing to Robert. I just don't know what to do in this situation," She confessed.
"We give them space. Let them talk when they're ready I suppose," Maya said. "We just need to let them know that we're there for all of them," She added.
"Yeah, we will be!" Andy said in agreement.
Despite Maddie's protest that she wasn't hungry, Carina still felt obliged to at least try and get her to eat something so she whipped up some pancakes in the hope that she would at least eat a mouthful. However, her hope was gone when Maddie just stared down at the pancakes with a glum expression on her face.
"Are you not hungry, Bambina?" Carina questioned as they sat at the table eating breakfast.
Maddie shrugged her shoulders loosely, "I-I just don't get it, Mama," She mumbled while she continued to stare at the uneaten pancakes.
"What don't you understand, Piccola?" Carina asked concerned.
"Why PD are a bunch of assholes," Maddie mumbled as she stabbed her fork in her pancakes. Avoiding the look that her Mama was giving her for that use of language, "I mean, why are they so horrible to people?" She asked.
Carina inhaled a sigh and chewed on her lip, "Th-That's something that I can't understand myself, Bambina." She admitted.
"I mean, I know I saw what happened with the girls when there was that fire and the cops, they didn't want to know at all. They treated them like they were the criminals when it was that man that was in the wrong," Maddie mumbled.
"I know it's been a long night, team, and we have a long shift ahead of us but I want you all to know that-" Maya jumped out of the truck and railed her team around and started to talk to them, however, she was cut off by Jack.
"Diane," The male firefighter said when he noticed the therapist's appearance.
"Jack," Diane said as she gave the firefighter a polite nod in his direction before looking at the rest of the team. "Don't worry. I got a rapid test this morning, so I'm clean as a whistle," She told them.
"Uh, what are y... What is she..." Vic stumbled across her words as she looked at Maya in question and then back at Diane.
Maya inhaled a breath and looked at her team. "I asked her to come. There's been a death, and you are all grieving, so I asked her to come," She explained.
"I'm sorr... You me..." Vic continued to stammer across her words.
"You talking about George Floyd?" Ben questioned.
"You brought in a therapist to help us process the death of George Floyd?" Dean questioned his captain.
"I did. I feel powerless to help, and this felt like something I could do," Maya admitted to the team.
Robert walked away at this point which didn't go unnoticed by the team as Diane began to talk, "There are not many fire captains who would treat a moment of national crisis like an internal tragedy, and your captain is," Diane said looking towards Maya with a small nod. "I respect it, so I'm honoured to be here to help however I can. I don't need you to talk about Mr Floyd. I'm not gonna make you talk to me at all. This isn't mandatory. I'm just here if you need me." Diane spoke to the whole team of firefighters.
The team were quiet and didn't know what to say. They just continued to go about with their day as though that hadn't just happened. Maya sighed and made her way around the side of the truck where she tapped her phone and dialled her girlfriends' number as she just needed to hear her voice right now.
"You're bold, and you're trying. Right or wrong, you tried something today. You tried something to help," Carina spoke through the phone.
"Thank you," Maya said as she breathed a sigh of relief, she never realised how much she needed to hear those words.
"I love you," Carina told her as the phone call ended.
"Was that Mom you were talking to?" Maddie asked as she walked into the lounge after she heard her Mama talking to someone on the phone.
"Si, I thought giving her a pep talk might help. Some words of wisdom," Carina told the teenage girl who was now dressed for the day in a pair of grey joggers and a burgundy hoodie.
"Did it help?" Maddie questioned as she went to grab a can of soda out of the refrigerator.
"I think so, I don't know what else I can do to help," Carina admitted as she locked her phone and slid it into her back pocket.
"We could always go visit her at the station? You could make them all your famous lasagne!" Maddie suggested.
"As much as I think that would be a nice thought. It's probably best to give them the space that they need," Carina said with a sigh.
"Oh. I guess so," Maddie said while she shrugged her shoulders. "I have texted Sarah and she is on her way over, her mom's going to drop her off on her way into work," She said.
"Okay, Bambina. That's fine," Carina said. "Is there anything that you would like to do until then?" She asked.
"Not really, no," Maddie said as she shook her head. "I stand by what I said earlier on. PD are real assholes," She muttered as she watched the news again.
Maya walked through to her office as she knocked briefly before opening the door. "Any takers?" She questioned as she stepped inside.
"Just one, so far," Diane told the blonde. "And you," She added.
"What?" Maya questioned confused.
"Sit," Diane told her as she pointed to the chair.
"No, I'm not..." Maya was cut off by the older women.
"You're what? You're- You're-You're not grieving? You had a happy little firehouse where everyone was best friends and a racial disparity was not a hot topic," Diane said and paused to look at the firefighter, "And now?" She asked.
"Everything has changed," Maya said out loud.
"Everything and nothing," Diane said.
"I know fire. I mean, I'm the person that studies them for fun," Maya said as she moved forward.
"But this fire," Diane started.
"This fire is beneath our feet. It's built into every foundation... Our history, language, n-news coverage. It's everywhere. I mean, we vent fires to let out the hot smoke and gasses so that we can contain the fire, but I don't see how we can contain this, let alone put it out," Maya said as she paced the floor of her office while Diane listened. "And growing up, we were taught about Black history and the Civil Rights movement. We were taught to believe that they had beat it. And I think, on some level, that belief was still inside of me, because I didn't listen to Dean, and I didn't listen to the mothers of those kidnapped girls, and I am so embarrassed saying that to you," She said as she rested her hand on the chair and leaned forward while talking to the therapist.
"Well, you were taught that in school... and probably also at home," Diane explained. "And that teaching, it's the coal that keeps the fire hot. When I was a child and I learned about the Native American genocide, I pictured one small village... One small village of men with feathers in their hair who gave the white people turkey and then got mad that they wouldn't leave. Now, I pictured it because those were the literal pictures in my history books. And even though I knew that my people had been stolen from their homes and brought here chained up on ships, somehow, I believed that textbook," Diane continued to explain to Maya who listened. "I was 35 years old when I learned that in 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue, and in the wake of that, millions upon millions of people who had been living here for 15,000 years were extinguished." The older women continued to carry on explaining to Maya who swallowed, the statistics were very high. "And the ones who survived were fighting every day against a culture that still wants to pretend they don't exist. We learn when we learn and the shame we feel at having taken so long to learn, well, that can be useful as long as we use it well," Diane said to Maya who faintly smiled, "Once we know better, we have to do better."
Maya moved to sit down in the chair opposite Diane, "When I was 13, I ran cross country and track, and during the off-season, my dad would train a group of us girls who ran both," She explained as she had the memory of when she was 13 running alongside other girls. "And he would push us too hard, and when I didn't hit a drill, the way he wanted me to, he'd make me do it over and over and over until I would collapse on the ground." The blonde captain continued to explain as Diane listened. "And my dad would leave me there, and one by one, my team members would lie down next to me. Face to the concrete, eyes on me, silent. Giving me space, but... also making sure I wasn't alone. And my instinct is that that is what I have to do for the Black members of my team... To quietly show up and let them know that I support them." She continued to say as Diane nodded shortly. "But I think that instinct is wrong because when my friends and I were 13, we didn't have the capacity to stand up against an abusive power. And now I do. I... I have the power to stand up and say when something is wrong. I mean, I have the power to call out injustices when I see them. I have... the power to make sure that everyone can breathe," Maya finished saying as Diane just nodded at her in understanding, she realized it all now and it made sense.
"Bambina, my phone is ringing. Could you answer it for me? I think it might be your Mom," Carina called out from where she was busy tidying up the kitchen but she had left her phone in the lounge.
"Si," Maddie agreed as she picked up the iPhone to see her mom's picture. "Hi, Mom!"
"Hey kiddo, why do you have Mama's phone?" Maya chuckled.
"Mama is cleaning up so I answered it for her. Hold on, I'll pass it over to her," Maddie said before she handed the phone over to her Mama.
"You're beautiful, and you're brave, and you're-" Carina spoke but Maya cut her off.
"Okay, no, just listen. I want to tell everyone that I support them attending the protests. I want to go. I don't want to silently support anymore. I want to scream in the streets," Maya expressed her feelings.
"Wonderful. I'll join you," Carina agreed. Maddie raised her eyebrow in question at what they were talking about.
"You don't understand. It's... Things are bad enough right now between and PD. The Department won't like it," Maya continued to express her feelings.
"Okay, but they cannot officially discipline you for it, though, right?" Carina questioned.
"No, no. But," Maya said pausing as she let out a sigh. "I'm on a track, and if I support this publicly... Which everything in me wants to do... It'll take me off that track," She admitted.
"Because people are setting fires to police stations," Carina stated.
"Yes, and because firefighters work with the police, okay?" Maya explained to her girlfriend. "They're our brothers, too, and there are some bad apples, bu-" She was cut off by Carina.
"Okay, they keep saying that on the news. The 'one bad apple, 'one bad apple.' And I didn't understand what it meant, so I looked it up, and one bad apple ruins the whole barrel. That's the saying." Carina said. "So, after we all saw the horrific video, why aren't all the brothers... Why aren't all the friends... Why isn't every member of the police force in the streets demanding systemic change? Why?" She asked feeling frustrated herself.
"Because it'll take them off of the track," Maya mumbled in realization. "I need to go, but thank you for the talk. I love you,"
"I love you too Bella," Carina smiled as the phone call ended.
"What was all that about?" Maddie leaned over from the couch. "Is Mom okay?" She asked.
"Si, your Mom is fine. All she just needed was just some advice," Carina explained.
"Oh, okay. I understand," Maddie nodded in agreement as she flipped through the channels, "Oh, why is he on the news?" She questioned confused.
"Who are you talking about Bambina?" Carina asked curiously as she walked further into the lounge, "Ah, I see who you mean," She said.
"I don't get why he is in front of the cameras," Maddie mumbled confusedly.
"Hm. I don't understand that myself, Piccola." Carina stated, shaking her head as she watched the man give a speech.
"God, he's such a creep!" Maddie muttered out loud and pulled a face. "When he came into the station the other day, he tried to talk to me and I just ignored him pretty much. That man is sketchy as hell, I don't like him!"
"Well, according to your Mom, not a lot of people do," Carina chuckled.
"I know, that's what she said the other day," Maddie giggled as there was a brief knock at the door and Maddie got up off the couch, "Ooh, that'll be Sarah. I'll get the door,"
"Bene," Carina said in understanding.
"Hey, babe! Come in," Maddie said when she saw her favourite person on the other side of the door.
"Hey, babe," Sarah said with a faint smile as she stepped inside the cosy apartment and instantly wrapped her arm's around Maddie. "I am really happy to see you. Things at home have been so difficult the past week," She admitted.
"Oh. Do you want to talk about it?" Maddie asked softly.
"It's just my Mom being her usual self, my Grandpa's funeral is next week and she doesn't even want to talk about it," Sarah explained as Maddie closed the door behind them both.
"That sucks. Do you think she will attend the funeral?" Maddie questioned.
"I doubt it honestly," Sarah said as they walked through to the lounge. "Hi, Carina." She said, noticing the Italian woman.
"Ciao Sarah." Carina greeted the brunette teenager. "How are you?" She asked.
"I'm doing well all things considered," Sarah explained. "My Grandpa's funeral is next week and my Mom doesn't even want to acknowledge that it's happening," She added.
"Oh. I'm sorry to hear that Bambina," Carina said with a sad smile on her face.
"Okay, well we'll be in my bedroom if you need us," Maddie said as she motioned her girlfriend to follow her into the bedroom.
"That's fine but Bambina, remember to keep your door open, please?" Carina reminded.
"Yeah, I will do," Maddie agreed as the two teenagers exited the lounge and moved in the direction of her bedroom. "You've got no idea how badly I want to kiss you right now," She said.
"Hm. I think you should just do it then," Sarah said as she smirked slightly.
"I think that I just might," Maddie grinned as she placed her lips gently against her girlfriend's. "So, do you want to sleep over tonight? We were supposed to do it last week but then everything happened so I thought that tonight might be a good night instead," She suggested.
"That would be okay. I'm pretty sure that my Mom wouldn't care if I was at home or not right now, she's so wrapped up in her work to avoid her feelings," Sarah told her girlfriend. "I would love to stay over and be wrapped up in your arms all night. I couldn't think of anything better,"
"Mhmm, that does sound pretty awesome," Maddie grinned. "So what do you want to do?" She wondered.
"I would like it if we could just cuddle and stuff, we could watch a movie as well?" Sarah suggested.
"That sounds like a good idea," Maddie agreed, finding her remote and switching the telly on, news reports instantly flooded with protests. "It sucks that this all happened. I wish that I could do something,"
"Why don't we go to a protest?" Sarah questioned.
"I don't know how my Mom's would feel about that. I could ask though I guess," Maddie said, shrugging her shoulders a little.
"It's worth a shot just asking Mads," Sarah said. Maddie nodded in agreement.
"Okay, I am gonna speak to my Mama about it now. Just try to find a film that we can watch," Maddie said as she handed her girl the remote and hopped off her bed.
Walking into the lounge, Maddie found Carina sat on the couch with a book in hand as there was noise from the TV in the background.
"Hey, Mama?" Maddie asked.
"Are you okay, Bambina?" Carina asked as she glanced up from her book.
"So, Sarah and I were watching the protests on the news and we wanted to know if we- well, I wanted to know if I would be okay to go to one?" Maddie questioned.
"I mean, I would have to speak to your Mom about it first and see how she feels about it," Carina told the blonde teenager. "I will call her and let you know what she says," She suggested.
"Can you also ask her if it's if Sarah stays over?" Maddie wondered.
"Si," Carina said in agreement.
"Okay, cool. Thanks," Maddie grinned before skipping back towards her bedroom.
"So, how long until Carina leaves for Italy?" Travis questioned.
"Only a couple of weeks now. I honestly don't know how Maddie, hell- even I will cope without her for however long she is gone," Maya admitted to the firefighters sat around the table.
"Yeah I can imagine that it will be tough," Vic nodded in agreement. "Hopefully, it won't be too long," She added.
"Let's hope so. I don't know if I can manage to deal with Maddie when she is in a mood on my own," Maya chuckled lightly as her phone began to vibrate. "It's Carina. I've gotta take this," She excused herself into the lounge away from everyone else as she answered the phone. "Hey, beautiful. Everything okay?" She wondered.
"Si. Actually, I was just calling because Maddie would like to know if Sarah is okay to stay over tonight. I know you're at the station until tomorrow morning, however, I wanted your input as well," Carina explained.
"Oh yeah sure, that's totally fine. How is our little troublemaker?" Maya questioned, moving to sit on the couch. "I haven't heard much from her today at all," She said.
"Completely fine, not up to any trouble surprisingly," Carina chuckled. "Although she has asked if she would be alright to take part in a protest with Sarah. I said that I would talk to you about it first," She added.
"Well, if she is going to go to a protest then I would rather know she is going to one that we're in attendance off. I mean there is one tomorrow that the team want to go to. You could all join us?" Maya offered.
"Si. That sounds like a good idea, so tomorrow morning?" Carina wondered.
"Yes. We get off shift so just meet us there," Maya told her girlfriend.
"Okay, I will go and let both the girls know what is happening tomorrow morning," Carina said.
"Yeah no worries," Maya agreed just as the klaxon went off. "Dammit. There's a call out. I've gotta go do my job now," She chuckled.
"Si. Talk later, I love you!" Carina exclaimed.
"I love you too beautiful," Maya said and ended the call before darting up from the couch and running down to the barn.
"Okay, so I spoke to your Mom and she is fine for you to attend a protest, as long as you come to one with us so we can make sure that you're both safe," Carina explained while she stood in Maddie's bedroom door. "There's a protest tomorrow morning that we can attend. All of 19 are going to be there as well,"
"Yeah okay, that sounds good," Maddie said.
"Alright. So, if you need me then I will be back in the lounge reading my book. I will start dinner later on so just let me know what you girls would like," Carina said.
"Okay, thanks Mama," Maddie said with a smile. Sarah smiled gratefully and Carina walked out of the bedroom to return to her book.
"Girls, dinner's ready!" Carina shouted out loud from the kitchen, she pottered around the kitchen as she plated the dinner up for herself and the two teenagers, also making sure to leave Maya a portion that she could reheat tomorrow at some point.
"Wow, smells so good Carina!" Sarah exclaimed as the two of them headed out from Maddie's bedroom. "I'm so excited to try your food," She added.
"I can't believe that you haven't tried it yet. Mama's food is absolutely amazing," Maddie grinned as she sat down at the table, "We don't trust my Mom to cook that often, she usually burns the food," She giggled.
"Maddie, that's not very nice to say that," Carina chuckled as she brought the plates over to the table, "Grazie Sarah. I hope that my cooking is amazing for you," She said.
"It's true Mama, Mom can just about cook a frozen pizza without burning it. Right?" Maddie giggled.
"Bambina," Carina said as she stifled a laugh. "Your Mom tries her best to cook, she just may need a little help in the kitchen," She said.
"I mean, yeah, at least she can make a sandwich," Maddie said as she giggled. Just then the doorbell went. "I wonder who that could be?" She questioned.
"I haven't a clue Bambina," Carina said cluelessly.
"I'll go find out," Maddie said as she pulled a mask out of her coat pocket, quickly putting it on before she answered the door. "Uh, hi?" She questioned, not recognizing the stranger at all.
"Hi, you must be Maddie," The unknown man said. "I'm Jake. I'm your Dad," He said with a sly look on his face.
•
Merry Christmas everyone!
I wanted to get this update out to you all to enjoy! I hope that you all have a good day!
Let me know your thoughts!